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The Order of the Heart

In the Beginning

By Bruce Curle `Published 3 years ago 9 min read
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Chilliwack One and the order of the Heart began with three people meeting at the edge of the barn in a rural area.

The end had come much quicker than anyone could have imagined the new virus moved so quickly. It amazed them how society lived through the original pandemic. Still, once Variant "M," also known as "Malum" or "Doom," began to spread, the world fell apart in quick order. Wayne was a school bus driver and former prison guard; his friend Maria was a social worker, and Patrick was a Vice Principal in a high school.

"It is agreed, he will gather our families and head to the old Cell Tower station near Bridal Falls," said Patrick.

"I have Bus Thirteen waiting at the rear of this barn; I already borrowed some supplies," said Wayne. "Avoid the main highway; it is full of all sorts of carnage,"

At that moment, old farmer Wilson came around the building; his upper head was wide open. His eyes were yellow and glazed, and a high-pitched hysterical sound like a witch's laugh seemed to emerge from him. Marie reacted first, swinging a large pipe wrench striking Wilson across the face. Wilson's face partially flew off like cheap theatrical makeup as he grasped her by the arm. Patrick lifted a pitchfork driving it deep into Wilson's side, and pushed him into the side of the barn. Wayne Pulled Maria free as she cursed Wilson in Spanish and struck him repeatedly with her wrench. Wilson moved around but was attached by the fork to the wall of the barn.

"It is only going to get worse from here." Said Marie as she wiped her wrench off in the nearby grass.

"We need to get moving quickly; we meet at the Tower by eight tonight," said Wayne.

A low-flying aircraft overhead got their attention for just a moment as it appeared to lose altitude very quickly. "The plan is still the same. "

Patrick opened a backpack at that moment, "As agreed, ten each," he said as he removed small plastic baggies. Each one opened the first back and pulled out a heart-shaped locket on a gold chain. "This is the only way to be admitted to the compound once we secure it. Be careful how you give them out."

"I will secure the generator and supplied from the schools. My group is meeting at Claymore High in thirty minutes; Harold Mooner, the retired cop, has many forgotten firearms he came across,' said Patrick.

Wayne said, "I have a few more supplies to gather my group should be at the tower first, Jarod, is bringing radio equipment and several devices that should be useful. We also have one tanker truck that we are going to try to get to the compound."

The sound of explosions nearby rocked the farm building as each of the three left in different directions. Each wore a gold heart-shaped locket and carried nine others to identify friends and colleagues.

Patrick found many roads near the school blocked with auto wrecks, scattered corpses, some being partially burnt. The spread of the infection had given many people the opportunity to settle old scores in the name of slowly a pandemic. Several bodies lay tied to lamp posts with the letter "I" spray-painted on their chests, trying to explain why they were shot or beaten to death.

Near the school, a roadblock appeared before his vehicle, and he knew it was Albert Schimpt, a parent from the high school. "Mr. Koser, there is nothing left at the school, believe me," he said.

"Mr. Schimpt, I got to make sure no students returned to the school in a panic, one last duty as The principal, you understand," Patrick said.

Albert did not look convinced but remembered the kindness he had shown to his daughter when she was being bullied during the pandemic. "I cannot guarantee you will get out or be allowed to join up with us."

Patrick drove past several burning vehicles, including a burning police car and a Fire Truck that was crashed into a house. Two firefighters staggered around with bright yellow eyes, bloody vomit all over their torsos.

He pulled the truck around the back of the school and found two school vehicles waiting for him. The trucks were each towing emergency school generators. He went out and shook hands with the two school maintenance staff. "Glad to see you made it" he waved at the spouses and three children they brought along. A moment later, two motorhomes appeared from behind the music building. Patrick's wife and several school staff members joined them.

Patrick gathered his group, "I am giving out a chain to each vehicle driver. Remember, if you get lost from the convoy, it is the only way to get past the main gate to the settlement. My truck will lead the way; we will not stop till we reach Old Yale Road. We will wait fifteen minutes no more for everyone to arrive near the Wetlands entrance, then proceed to the Forest Service Road."

Marie arrived at the Social Service Office, hardly getting noticed; she has an SUV loaded there and ready to go. Windows were shattered at the offices', and she found her supervisor Russ Coleman and two other workers dead in their offices. Her family had already had deaths in Covid, and the "M" had taken her husband; her only son had died in a gun battle two days after his father. She felt she had to survive to make their deaths meaningful.

She also found a sixteen-year-old girl under a workers' desk; she appeared uninjured but in a complete state of shock. She grabbed her by the hand and led her out of the building. She could hear sirens, gunshots, screams in various directions. She turned on the local radio station to see if it was still broadcasting.

"This is Clive Barrel broadcasting from FM 99.1; please shelter where you are at until further notice. Shelters are overrun, and some have become the domain of the infected. I will stay on the air until it is not possible to broadcast any longer. Federal, Provincial and local City officials remind us that states of Emergency are still in effect. Please, masks may still help; wear them. Later information suggests that Federal Military Assistance is at least ten days away at the earliest. Highways are jammed and dangerous! Now maybe a song, Highway to Hell, seems in order."

She turned up the radio as the two raced toward the other side of the city; she knew where Clive was and thought he might be helpful; as she drove, she had the teen place a heart-shaped locket around her neck.

Wayne met with his group, and Jarod appeared with a heavy-set man in camouflage gear.

"Wayne, this is Terrance. Terrance is a collector of a different sort."

"Oh," said Wayne.

Terrace frowned slightly, "In such situations as this, armour and fifty calibre can give a nice edge."

Terrance led them to the edge of some nearby woods. Parked under the trees was an old half-track that often had appeared at Veteran events and in local movie productions, two jeeps with heavy machine guns and a 1960s military ambulance. "You might think, great museum pieces, but my friends and I got borrowed, everything works, and the ammo is real."

He waved him to follow where the other two drivers were, "O.K you are in we go as a group, Prairie Road to the overpass then Ford toward the wetlands." He handled each driver a gold chain with a locket on it. Wear it; do not lose it the only way to access the compound.

Patrick's started his truck; he accelerated and turned around the side of the high school bricks bounced off the hood and side of the truck. As he increased his speed, his truck hit the rear bumper of an abandoned ambulance, pushing it into the side of a home.

Marie's SUV skidded sideways into the parking lot outside of the mall studios of the radio station. People were looting the grocery store, and the local fast food store was on fire.

She banged on the front door then wrote lipstick on the glass. "I have a remote location with a radio hook Up WANT To LIVE?"

A moment later, Clive appeared with a bottle of water in one hand and a small knapsack. Close behind one technician, followed by another staff member. "Seriously," bellowed Clive.

Maria replied as she grabbed a gun from a surprised street thug, "YES!"

They all led into the SUV back up over a shopping buggy filled with televisions and sped out of the lot.

Wayne's yellow bus moved along behind a jeep; the road they choose had a few auto wrecks but was quieter than the highway and other side of the freeway. The highway looked more like a scene from the Mad max movies; society was falling apart in record time as the infection spread faster and faster. A helicopter flew overhead then flew off as it began to take ground fire.

Wayne's group arrived at the Grover Road overpass; under it was a highway full of death, mayhem and carnage of every sort. The plan was simple: drive over the overpass as quickly as possible, by the old school, and head toward the wetlands.

The Jeep led the way as the bus got up over 90 kilometres per hour as it approached the overpass.

As they drove up the overpass, the bus was struck along the left side with light weapons fire. The lead jeep machine returned fire down onto the highway; as the Jeep got to the far side of the overpass, it struck a tractor on the side of the road. The Jeep flipped over and went into the side of the road. The bus and the other vehicles drove by as the surviving jeep passenger was beaten by several people running out of the farmhouse. Were they "M" infected? Not that it truly mattered.

Patrick found traffic jammed on Yale Road, so he moved his little convoy onto Camp Road and found things much quieter, but he was far behind schedule. Maria saw people armed with guns and bats and changed and soon discovered she was following Patricks' little convoy without knowing it.

Wayne arrived at the Wetlands, and except for the one Jeep, everyone made it this far. They drove onward to the Forestry Road and three kilometres up the side of Cheam Mountain.

They found the signs warning of the Pipeline project and cell tower ahead. The main gate was secure, two guards appeared, both with shotguns in their hands.

Wayne got out of the bus and pulled the heart shape pendant into view.

"About time!" said one of the guards. The third man in a Conservation officer's uniform appeared, unlocking the gate.

Within the hour the others had arrived, a gathering was held with all interested in attending.

It was decided by the group that they would refer to themselves as the "Order of the Heart." They would also Start transmitting messages or hope and several and would become known as "Oscar November Echo" or, for short, "Chilliwack One."

They would work to help their valley from this location until the military or civil authorities regain order.

science fiction
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About the Creator

Bruce Curle `

A Fifty something male that enjoys writing short stories, scripts and poetry. I have had many different types of work over my lifetime and consider myself fairly open minded and able to speak on many topics.

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